Untitled
by kenjis-slayer
Summary: LanguageInsinuations Will be untitled till I find one. Time...It reaches all...Just where does it place us? And what do we do in that place?
1. Part One

**Okay here it goes. Umm, when I posted this last night, I had a little too much to drink. So reading it again, kind of irked me. I just had to repost. Oh and about the A/N at the end of the chapter, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off as a bitch. I'm really sorry about that. Again, the alcohol. 

**This fic has NOTHING to do with "Dance In The Dark". I have been eager to post this, which was suppose to be a one shot, songfic, but I couldn't. If you like it, that's cool. If you don't…..I'm sorry. Just tell me what you think.. I love ALL feedback, as long as it has got GOOD\LEGITIMATE points. Thank you for all those that review.

He stood near the giant tree, gazing out into the wide terrain. The green hue of shrubbery, trees and floral colors, stretched out for miles. In the far off distance, the mountains gloomed the shade of blue in the sunlight. All around, the animals chattered in the peace that permeated the land.

The air pushed through his long locks of white hair, brushing a few strands against his cheeks. His lips were pursed together, allowing the cool air passage through his sensitive nostrils. His silent manner projected no emotion. But it would be his amber eyes that would display the truth. She was on his mind. 

It had been some time since certain thoughts had wandered into his mind. Sure, the familiar aura had traveled in and out, but those moments were few and brief. Sometimes, in dreams, she had appeared before him. She was laughing and smiling. She was happy. They were happy. But each time, the truth came crashing in. Bringing forth the harsh reality to light. Smile absent. Laughter gone. Tears shed. Absence present. He had made his decision and so had she.

The crumpling sound of footsteps over the blades of grass, caused his pointy ears to twitch.

"What do you want?" He broke his silence with his callous voice.

"Inuyasha?" A middle aged man, in a feeble tone of voice stood several feet away from the hanyou.

"I said," he answered, in the same tone. "_What do you want?_"

The man bowed his head, at the hanyou's back, "The high priestess, Lady Kaede, would 

like to see you?"

"Why?" He didn't look at the human behind him.

"Please," the man pleaded. "She needs to speak with you."

The half human rolled his eyes, "Fine."

"Thank you," he turned and began to walk back to his small village.

The half demon made no effort to walk with the man who came to seek his audience. He 

made certain his footsteps were swift, so that he could reach the old woman's hut sooner. 

The sooner he got this over with, the better. Lately she had rarely spoken to him. Sure 

they would exchange words on the passing by, now, whatever she had wanted with him, 

he knew it had to be important.

She was sitting across from the entrance of the hut, before a small fire. The light from the 

gently flickering flames, accented the deep lines in her forehead and around the eye, of 

the elder woman. The dying embers of the fire, danced shadows across her tired face. Her 

features were evident enough to know she had seen much conflict in her long life.

"What is it?" He gazed down at the old miko.

"Please sit down," she held out her hand before her.

He remained standing, crossing his arms, "I'm fine."

She coughed, "Inuyasha, it's been a while since we talked."

"You don't have to tell me that," he replied, dryly.

She took in a deep breath, "Yes. I know."

Kaede stared at the warm flames before her, exhausted. Her breaths were heavy and 

steady. She could feel her muscles tighten from numerous tiny cramps. They ran all over 

her body. It took a great deal of her energy to conceal the aching going on within her.

The impatient hanyou, studied her face. He sighed in resignation and sat down across 

from her.

She smiled, "It's been some time."

"You said that already," he stared right into her face.

She nodded her head, "Aye."

Inuyasha never one for small talk, turned his gaze from the old woman sitting across from 

him. It was at that moment he noticed a small pouch sitting before him. He had seen it before, some time ago. It belonged to the elder priestess. She had placed it there for a reason. He carefully opened the velvety pouch and studied its contents, sighing inwardly.

The old woman finally looked up from her little fire and into the half demon's eyes. A long silence fell between the two. There was no need for words at the moment. They had known each other for quite a while. Their ideas, notions, were pretty much clear to one another. She knew, that he was aware of what was going through her mind. He knew, she was aware of it, as well. And without so much as another look, he exited the hut.

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**Thank you to those who have reviewed already. You guys are too sweet. Oh and pruningshears, I will update "Dance…" as soon as I can. Thank you for reading that one too.

**PS. Has anyone ever read a "Yu-Gi-Oh!" fanfic with a Marik/Mai pairing? I'm looking for one to read. Okay I'm done.


	2. Part Two

**A/N: Okay, here's another section, to my 'should have been one-shot'. I know it's a bit short, but I hope you like it. I was going to throw on more to it, but I changed my mind. Plus, I'm headed out the door and I wanted to post something as soon as I got the chance. This weekend I'll be super busy with work. We have a special thing going on at the track, Breeder's Cup…yuk. Don't even want to think about that crap. Anywho, I know the first chapter wasn't exactly moving, but I hope this one gets your engine going. Sorry, not too good with analogies and stuff. Please let me know what you think. And yes I'm still working on "Dance…" Thanks for reading both, if you do. And thanks for giving me your input. It means a great deal. Okay, I'm done.**

A white door opened to reveal a small room. In it, was a queen sized bed, quilted with shades of violet and lavender. The pillows, white and purple, sat at the head of the bed awaiting to be rested upon. The wood furniture held many accessories, such as flowers, candles, picture frames, all carrying the same shades as the bed, with a few tints of silver draped within. The cream colored walls displayed several posters and pictures in frames. Each containing photographs, awards, certificates and such.

A young woman took a few steps into the room and tossed a few books onto her small desk. She walked over to her bed and fell back into the comforter atop her bed, sighing in exhaustion. Gazing up at the ceiling, her mind recapped her day of lectures, surprise quizzes, and homework assignments. Those thoughts brought on another sigh.

After a few minutes of just staring at the long ago, dried paint, she got up and walked into the tiny living area. She plopped herself down on the couch and turned on the TV. The channels flipped through so quick, one could hardly tell just what program was on.

Frustrated at nothing interesting on the television set, she turned it off, tossing the small remote control on the coffee table. It landed next to another remote. This was to her stereo system. She shrugged and turned on the radio, letting the sound of a lilting piano fill the room. She walked over to the faucet in the tiny kitchen and began to pour herself a glass of water. 

The young woman retreated into her bedroom to fetch her books. It was at that moment the phone began to ring, calling her back into the living area. Just before picking the receiver, she paused. Her eyes noticed some movement coming from the balcony. She glanced in the direction of the sliding glass window to see the shadows of the clouds passing by. She shook her head and picked up the phone after its third ring.

He jumped back quickly, ducking out of view, hiding behind the long cloth draped at the corner of the glass. That was too close. She nearly saw him. He would have been caught and he wouldn't know what to say. Not yet, anyway. He decided he wanted to watch first. 

When he came through the portal, he wasn't surprise to find her scent. His nose hadn't forgotten its sweet taste. He loved to drown himself in its aroma. It was always pleasing to his nose and comforting to his soul. Although now, it appeared a bit more faint.

He carefully approached the familiar room, but as he got closer, another scent invaded is nostrils. It wasn't a sour scent, though it wasn't as nice as hers. The two scents were a tad similar, but he preferred hers. The other aroma belonged to the older woman who lived there; her mother. It only made sense, seeing as the room was completely altered since the last time he had visited.

After a few minutes of going through the same house, which was empty, he left. He stood outside the house for a moment, sniffing the futuristic air. There were so many different scents drifting along, but it didn't take him long to find hers. 

He quickly followed it to its strongest, which led him to his current position; outside, on a balcony. There were many new scents in the room, most of which were hers. He assumed it was her current dwelling. It was much smaller than her old place, but bigger than the priestess's hut.

He had been sitting in the same spot, since she arrived, golden eyes watched as she moved through the two rooms. He watched her throw her things onto her bed, which was bigger than her other one. Even when she just laid on her bed, not moving, he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was just as he had seen her before, only different, older.

Her clothing had changed. She no longer wore the green and white uniform. Then again, he had seen her in her other weird clothing before. Her hair was much longer, though some strands, on ends, were the color of red. He found that intriguing. Her face, he couldn't see clearly, for her hair shrouded it, shading her features.

Quietly he sat outside and observed her as she watched TV, then turned on the radio. She had paused to listen to the music. His eyes followed her as she walked back into the other room and returned to hear a ringing. That's when she nearly saw him. He had been so captivated with her presence, he forgot to stay behind the large cloth. 

When she stopped, he quickly jumped back, then he slowly poked his head around his cover. Again, he watched silently as she talked to the device near her face. She paced around the room, laughing and giggling. He watched as she took a drink of her water, still pacing.

When she finally tucked her hair behind her ear, he caught a full look of her face. There was more color to her face. Her cheeks were flushed a pink and her lips were red. The strands that were pushed away from her face, showed her brown eyes. The last time he looked upon them, they were filled with a deep sadness. Now, there was life within them. He took in a deep breath at the sound of her laughter. The look on her face, the smile across her lips, even the tone of her skin, it glowed. _She_ glowed and she looked just like she did then. When they were happy.

He shook his head and turned his back to the scene. He leaned up against the glass and sighed. He couldn't do it. He didn't want to disrupt her happiness.; he couldn't. It wouldn't be right. He had to come to a decision…leave. This time, he would do it with her smile in his memory.

The half demon jumped onto the ledge. That was when his ears heard the shattering of glass. He spun around quickly to see what was wrong. It made his heart sink to see a pair of muddy orbs gazing directly into his amber spheres. 

A deafening silence fell between the two. The music pouring out of the speakers were drowned out by the sounds of their hearts beating and their short, gentle breaths. Even the person on the other end of the phone line, could not be heard. For the two, it was as if the world around them ceased to exist. All that was, was that moment.

"Kagome?" A male voice called through the small speaker of the phone.

Her finger pressed a small button, cutting off the person on the other end of the line. Her knuckles whitened as her grip of the small receiver tightened. She could feel her hands trembling.

She slowly walked over to the sliding glass window and opened it up. The hanyou, was still seated on the ledge of the balcony. Her eyes looked him over. He looked just as he did when she last saw him. His long, white hair cascaded down his shoulders, over his red kimono. A familiar rosary still hung around his neck. The two dog ears poked out, atop his head, from beneath the white locks. Though he aged much slower than humans, he looked tired and worn. His eyes showed a hint of despair.

"Kagome," he finally spoke.

His eyes never left hers. They watched the essence of shock fade. Her eyes narrowed, brows furrowing, lips pursed.

Her brown eyes burned into every contour of his face, "What are you doing here?"

He felt intimidated under her icy glare, "Uh, well..."

She took in a deep breath, then returned to her living room. She began to pick up the large shards of the broken glass. He carefully followed her inside.

She had her back to him, "Don't come any closer."

"Kagome," he stopped. "I'm sor-"

"There are broken shards everywhere," she interrupted him.

He didn't move. His eyes remained fixed on her, watching as she picked up the pieces and cleaned up the excess water with a small towel. His insides twisted with nervous energy. It had been so long since he had been so close to her; breathed in her scent. The drumming of his heart urged him to reach out and engulf her in his strong arms. But he resisted.

"Ow," she retracted her finger.

He could smell her blood, "Kag-"

"I'm fine," she threw away the pieces. Cold water ran over her finger, cleansing the small cut, "Why are you here?"

"The hag sent me," he responded.

She didn't not reply. Her lips were pursed and her eyes flared in a quiet anger.

"You remember the old priestess, Kaede?" The hanyou asked, her back still facing him.

Kagome could feel a tremble all over her body at his words. Her hands were placed on the outer rim of the sink, helping to maintain her balance. The sound of his voice, she fought to keep the tears from flowing, "I spent the last four years of my life, trying to _forget_ the three years before that."

He scratched the back of his head, nervously, "Uh, I need you to come back with me."

"Excuse me?" She nearly fell over at his bold response.

"The old woman asked to see you," Inuyasha explained. "She asked me to come get you."

"No," her grip on the sink tightened. "I don't think so."

He had expected her to decline. She had every right to. He wasn't sure what to say; convince her to go with him. But she _had_ to go back with him.

"I really need you to come with me," he sighed in frustration.

In a quick spin, she finally faced him. Disgust was written all over her face, "How dare you? I haven't seen, nor heard from you in four years. Then you come waltzing back in here, expecting me to go with you? No! I'm sorry Inuyasha it doesn't work that way!"

"Hey!" The hanyou argued. "_You_ were the one who left!"

"Yeah," she shot back. "And _you_ left first!"

"I-" He tried.

  
"You left," she didn't let him finish. "When you decided to go after _her_!"

"I told you I had to," he answered, defensively. "I had to try to help her."

"Regardless of how I felt," She could feel her eyes water. "Inuyasha, she wanted _you_ dead!"

The hanyou bit his tongue and took in the young woman's words. Her words echoed only truth. The former priestess wanted nothing more than for him to join her in hell. And she had made attempts to end her reincarnation's life. Still, he was bound to his promise. He would protect her. Had it not been for Kagome, he might have joined her in the fiery pits of hell.

She inhaled deeply and blinked back the moisture building up. Turning from him, her fragile voice invaded his ears, "You know what? No. I'm not going to let you drag me into this argument again."

His nose could smell her salty tears being forced back, "Kagome…"

Her voice near a whisper, "Go." She shook her head and closed her eyes, not wanting to look into his sorrowful eyes, "Just go. Leave."

"Kagome," his steps faltered. "Kaede is dying."

The soft words of the half human echoed in her ears. The last three words, pounded loudly against her eardrums. Each repeat stopped the flow of blood through her knees, making them weak. It took everything in her to maintain her composure. She knew the priestess would have aged some since her departure, but she never imagined it being her time. She couldn't imagine the old woman being gone. In her mind, the elder priestess was still so young. It had only been four years.

She still couldn't look at the hanyou, "Send my condolences." 

Inuyasha's golden eyes widened in shock, "What?"

"I'm sorry," Kagome, answered softly. "But I can't go back with you."

"Kagome," he argued. "She's your friend."

"Yes," his words tore at her. "And she's a part of my past."

It was at that moment, a ringing resonated throughout the small apartment. She glanced over to her phone. The receiver was lying on the counter top in her kitchen. She didn't make an attempt to answer the call. She just let the answering machine pick it up.

A man's voice echoed out of the speaker's, "Kagome? Hey. You hung up on me. Sorry, I didn't call back right away. Things got real busy for a moment. Anyway, I'll see you tonight. Eight o'clock. Love ya. Bye."

"Damn it," she mumbled under her breath. "I forgot."

Kagome turned around to face Inuyasha once more. His face was filled with confusion. He understood her resentment towards him, but regarding the old woman, it baffled him. However, he couldn't find himself thinking, fully, about her refusal to see the old woman. His mind also tossed around the male's voice that rang in his ears. He had never heard it before. Still, he would not inquire. 

Taking in a heavy breath, she answered as steady as she could, "Time has passed and things change. I've learned to get on with my life."

His eyes ran along her face. He could see she was holding something back, "So you're not gonna come back?"

She replied, quickly, "I can't."

He wanted an answer, "Why not?"

Kagome could feel her lower lip trembling. She fought to keep it still, "I just can't."

"But-" He persisted.

As if to gain strength for a response, the muscles in her body tightened, "Goodbye, Inuyasha."

The half demon stood before her in silence. His amber orbs penetrated her features. He could sense the waves of tension radiating off her body. Though she was rigid, he could see her fragile aura hiding behind the icy wall.

He spun around, his long strands flowing gently with his motion, "Fine."

He reached inside is kimono, pulling out a small pink sphere. He ran his thumb over its smooth texture. It glistened in the palm of his hand.

With his back to her, he gently placed it into a small bowl, "Goodbye, Kagome."

Kagome watched as he lifted his hand from the table. Her heart nearly sank into the deepest part of her stomach, when her eyes laid on the familiar jewel. It's presence released a dam of emotions and memories within her. Her eyes turned from it, to the wall, trying to fight the water building up in her eyes.

When she finally looked up, her gaze fell upon her empty apartment. The sliding glass door to the balcony was wide open. The curtain brushed lightly against the window as the breeze pushed its way in. The light sound of thunder in the distance and the dark clouds outside, told her the rain was coming; though some water droplets already began to fall.

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**Anyone know of any good Joey/Mai fics???**


	3. Part Three

**A/N: Here's another addition to my short story. I want to clear some things up. I've only seen the episodes up to I believe it's #56. It's the one called, "The Demon's True Nature". Again, I've only seen the dubbed versions, save for "The Guy Who Fell In Love With Kagome." I've seen that in the subtitled version, which is cool as hell too! In short, too late, please disregard any future stuff that takes place after episode #56. So I ask that you please keep an open mind when reading this short story.

I know this chapter is really short, but I didn't want to make it too long either. I hope to update again, by the upcoming weekend. I wanted to this past weekend, but I got slammed with work and stuff. And it was Halloween. My second fave holiday, next to New Year's.

Lastly, I am working on "Dance…" Please don't give up on me. I'm just having a hard time deciding what to do with what. And thank you to those who read and review both my stories. I means a great deal to me. I really appreciate. Okay I've said enough. Enjoy.**

Kagome sat on her balcony, wrapped in her favorite blanket on her papasan chair. The canopy above her sheltered her from the gentle shower falling from the sky. Her own tears had dried by now. Though she sat alone, it was her thoughts and the tiny jewel in her hand that kept her company. 

For a few minutes she stared out into the city. The sounds of cars had long since muffled out. She assumed the rain had brought many in from outside. The sun was starting to set. Through the thick clouds, she could see the red, orange, amber and pink shades that comes before night appears.

Like so many times before, when she gazed at the sun setting, its colors brought back memories. In the beginning, it didn't take much for him to invade her thoughts. Everywhere she went, she saw him. Every voice she heard, it was his. Every creak in the floor boards, late at night, she awoke from her bed, hoping to see his face. And every time, it was pure hell. The pain and the torment of being reminded of how much she loved him.

__

Kagome joined Inuyasha at the large tree where they had first met. He was staring out into the open terrain. She could tell that his mind was clouded with thoughts.

"Hey," she nudged him playfully. "Whatcha doin?"

He didn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him, "Just thinking," 

"What about?" She followed his gaze.

He didn't respond immediately to her question. She gazed up at his profile. The way he stood in silence, in thought, it always took her breath away. She watched as the wind pushed through his long locks of hair and his kimono. His yellow eyes always held such deep emotion, despite his need to hide them. It showed.

"It's taken us three years," he finally answered. "It seems so quick."

"I know," she agreed.

"What do you plan to do now?" He looked down at her. "With the Jewel?"

She looked up into his eyes. Her heart began to pick up its pace as she rubbed her hands together nervously. They were becoming clammy and her nerves pulled beneath her skin.

She shrugged, "I don't know. Kaede told me that the Jewel should be purified, so that no one will come after it, ever again. And in order to do that, I, well, someone needs to make a wish."

"But that would mean…"

"I couldn't travel back and forth anymore. I'd have to go back home…"

"Or you could stay here."

She could feel the blood rush to her cheeks, causing her to fidget nervously with her fingers, "I don't know about that. I mean, my family and friends are in the future…"

He kept his eyes on her, "You have that here too."

"Yeah," she tried to keep her cheeks from flushing anymore. "You're right…What about you? What are you going to do now?"

Inuyasha returned his eyes to the open fields around them. He took a deep breath, before answering, "I'm going to find Kikyou."

Kagome felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. She could feel her breath leave her, making it difficult for her to speak, "You-you're gonna do what?"

He turned to her once more, "I have to."

She stared up at him, confused. The words that were coming out of his mouth seemed to be in a foreign language. She couldn't understand what he was telling her, "What? Why?"

"Cause I know she's still out there," he told her.

"So?" Kagome could feel her lip quivering. 

"As long as I know that she's still out there," the hanyou reached out to the girl. "I have to help her."

She jumped back, "How?! How are you going to do that? She hates you!"

"I know," he grabbed her hands, pulling her closer. "But I have to try."

"You did!" She was in such a state of shock, she hadn't realized that her entire body was trembling. "Too many times, in fact! Inuyasha she is beyond help. She wants you dead, **with** her. What are you going to do? Are you going to follow her?"

He wrapped his arms around her, "I don't know what I'm going to do…"

"And what about me?" She embraced him, tightening her grip. She didn't want to let go. She didn't want to let him go. She began to cry. "I know she says you owe her that…but you can't die…You just can't…I…I don't want you to…I…I love you…"

She could feel his arms tighten around her and through her sobs, she could hear him whisper, "Kagome, I have to try and set things right."

She buried her face into his chest. Her tears seeped into his kimono. She had to know, "Do you love me?"

"Kagome," he stumbled through his words. "I…I…It's not that simple…"

"Yes or no," she pushed against his chest, looking into his eyes, tears running down her cheeks.

"It's just…" he tried once more. "Well…I…"

Her eyes gazed upon the hanyou, studying his face. After all this time, all their travels, and how protective he had become of her and their brief, tender moments together, she thought, no, she was sure that he had felt the same way. She thought that if she had said it first, he would be able to say it. It took every ounce of courage in her to come out with it. She thought he had accepted the truth, **she** was the past and Kagome was his present. But it was nothing more then an illusion, her illusion. Her very own fantasy, that herself and the hanyou could be together; that he had gotten over her. Again, she was wrong. It always came back to **her**. It would never be Kagome. 

"Right," she pushed his arms away from her. "Goodbye Inuyasha."

With one last look, absorbing his features, she walked away from the hanyou she loved.

The breaking sound of her voice as she told him goodbye, brought another rush of dejection through her. The feeling was just as strong as it was the moment she left. It angered her that it was still there. It wasn't supposed to be. She had told herself many times, not to look back. She had worked hard at convincing herself to let go; to forget. It was supposed to be gone. 

She took in a deep breath and suppressed the emotion that was tearing her up inside. She glanced down at the tiny orb that was resting in her hand. Before he had left it for her, she had not laid eyes on it since the day she left. Although it lost some of its shine, it was still beautiful. It was supposed to be a symbol of hope, but its presence and desire for ownership had brought so much pain and suffering. With the most recent events, Kagome could still see its troubled trail.

"Damn it," she whispered to herself.

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**Oh and pruningshears, thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep that in mind.**


	4. Part Four

**A/N: Hey. Here's another addition. This one is really short. I'm sorry. But I hope that this will hold you until the next part. I didn't get a chance to post it earlier cause I was super busy. Anywho, as usual, please let me know what you think. Again, thank you pruning shears. You're the only one who actually lets me know that you do read it. All right, I'm done.**

The half demon, Inuyasha, sat in a tree gazing down at the well. His golden eyes stared blankly at the moss covered well. His thoughts entangled in the memory of the past; the previous seven years to the most recent hours. He could still see the expression on her face, when she saw him for the first time in four years. Surprise. Hurt. It was painted all over her face.

He still remembered what it felt like when he had told her he was going to look for _her_; his first love. He knew it tore her up inside to hear him speak of her; to talk about his need to find her. It wasn't easy for him to tell her, but he had to. It wrenched his heart to see the tears falling. He hated to see her like that. The beauty in her face faded when she was in pain and it killed him.

The sound of her voice saying those three words, penetrated every part of his being. He had longed to hear her say those words. She had asked him if he loved her. The voice inside him ordered his mouth to answer yes, but he couldn't. If he had spoke the truth and told her yes, it would hurt her more in the end. Inuyasha knew it wouldn't be fair to Kagome. He knew that he couldn't give her all of him. Not until his other matters were settled.

Then she left. Sure, she had done it many times before, especially when she was mad at him. But the result was always the same. She came back. Even when he was being completely stubborn, knowing her leaving was his fault and that he should be the one to apologize, she would come back. This time, it was different.

__

"And what about me?" Her arms tightened around his waist as she began to cry. From the strength in her grip, he could feel her need, her desperation, to hold onto him. "I know she says you owe her that…but you can't just die…I…I don't want you to…I…I love you…"

Inuyasha could feel fluttering in his stomach and his heart skipped its beats. At the very sound of those words coming from her, made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but he couldn't do it. There was still one more thing that had to be taken care of. Then they could be together.

He fought hard at hiding his emotions, "Kagome, I have try and set things right."

In between her sobs, he could hear her ask, "Do you love me?"

'Yes,' his mind ordered. 'Tell her you fool. Tell her yes! You know you want to!' But his heart argued, 'Don't. What about Kikyou? It's not fair to Kagome.'

"Kagome," he stumbled through his words. His mind and his heart conflicted with one another. It was difficult to give her an answer. "I…I…It's not that simple…"

"Yes or no," she pushed against his chest, looking into his eyes.

"It's just…" he tried once more, over the growing sounds of the voices within him. "Well…I…"

"Right," she pushed his arms away from her. "Goodbye Inuyasha."

She stood before him, silent. He knew that she was waiting for him to say something. The half human searched for the right words to tell her, but couldn't get them out. Her eyes burned right into his face, studying every feature, every detail. She spoke no words, then she turned from him and walked away. 

Inuyasha sighed as he pictured his return to the village, four years ago, just after he had spoken to Kagome. The young girl's scent lingered and was slowly fading. He knew she had gone back to her own time. He painfully remembered how his heart sank when his eyes fell upon the Shikon jewel. It was resting quietly in the hands of its new protector, the elder priestess Kaede. The teenage miko was not coming back.

The hanyou closed his eyes and thought of the time he went to see her. It was late at night, just a few days after she had left him. His visit was brief, for he only went to check on her one last time, before his search for her incarnation. She nearly caught him looking in on her. The creak in the floor had woken her from her restless, sniffle-filled sleep. He hid himself in the shadows, watching as she searched for him, with puffy, red eyes. The emptiness was still there, but watching her fall into her pillow in tears again, only added to his anguish. It was too much. He whispered goodbye to her and raced back to the well, with the image of a suffering, shattered, young girl embedded in his mind.

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	5. Part Five

**A/N: Greetings kind readers. I bring to you an update. Sorry for the wait, but I've been so busy. Work is a pain in the arse. I so need a vacation. Whoo-hoo. I get one in like three weeks. Two week vacation. Totally what I need. I'll be off for Christmas and New Years', my favorite holiday. Aw yeah! My plan is to _not_ remember it. I did last year and that sucked. Anywho, well this chapter is a short. A bit of a filler, so sorry. I don't know if there's going to be two more parts or one more. Either way, I think what's coming up next is good. I'm still rearranging stuff with it. Chances are I'll title it after I'm finished. Hmm…If you can't find it, I suggest you search under my SN, kenjis_slayer. Well, I hope you like. Please let me know what you think.**

A gentle breeze brushed through the trees, rustling its leaves. Drifting along on the tender waves was a familiar scent, which broke his thoughts. He held his breath and watched silently as she climbed out of the moss covered well. His eyes traveled over her body, observing as she brushed the greens off her clothing, then tossed the small pack over her shoulder.

Not moving from his place, he continued to watch her walk away from the well, in the direction of the village. Like before, his eyes took notice to her appearance. Her hair was tied back, like a certain demon exterminator. She no longer wore the uniform that showed off her legs. In fact, they were covered with pants that hung low across her hips. Her top was a bit small, tight around the chest region, which also showed how she grew in other places as well. And he found it a bit shocking to see her stomach. From behind, he could almost see a mark on the small of her back. Part of it was hidden beneath her pants. He wondered just what it was.

She was nearly out of sight, when he jumped from the tree branch to the grass below. He walked swiftly behind her, trying to be as quiet as he could with his steps.

"I know you're there," she didn't look back. "And I know you were watching me come out of the well."

"I thought you said you _couldn't_ come back," he mocked her.

"I left once before," she didn't bother to look back. "I can do it again."

He could hear resentment in her tone, causing him to draw back. He knew she had every right to be upset, but he still wanted to say something more to her, "Kagome-"

She stopped, with Inuyasha just a few steps behind her, "I'm here for Kaede, nothing else."

"Fine," he brushed past her.

With that said, Kagome began walking again, in silence.

At first, Inuyasha kept his distance from her, walking faster, but he found his steps faltering. It wasn't very long that he was walking alongside her. He tried his best to keep his eyes on the path ahead of them, but he couldn't resist looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. Everything inside him was tingling with nervous energy. He could feel himself slip into ecstasy at her scent. Her very essence was overwhelming for him. Even when he was in her home, he felt it. There were just so many familiar emotions going through him.

Little did the hanyou know, Kagome was going through the same things. Her insides pulled nervously into many different directions. Being in his presence again, made her feel like she was a teenager. She felt light headed and she could feel a prickly sensation all over her hands. She tried her best to suppress those feeling and keep her mind on what she was there for; to pay her respects. Then she would return home, where she belonged; where she was happy.

Their silence made the walk to the village appear much further. Both wanting to speak, but too afraid of what each other had to say. They knew just what they wanted to say, but the topic was much too sensitive for both parties.

"How is everyone?" Kagome tried to ease the tension.

Inuyasha glanced over at her, to see she had not looked over at him. His eyes returned to the path ahead of them, "Miroku and Sango left, just after you…when I…"

Kagome took a deep breath, regretting her question, "And Shippou?"

"He, uh," he answered nervously. "He went with them."

"Did they say where they were going?" She asked.

"No," he shook his head. "I…They left, when I was gone."

"I see," she nodded her head.

Both had wanted to avoid such an uncomfortable conversation. It would appear anything mentioned of the past, would just come back to that painful moment by the tree. And neither wanted to speak of it, nor think of it. That would be the cause of their silence once again.

Reaching the village, Kagome could feel herself being pulled through a whirlwind of memories. She could almost see her younger self running through the village. In the passing images, her friends were the same; their ageless faces smiling, laughing, along with her own. It all sent a rush of sadness through her, as she thought of all she had left behind. She shook her head at her memories. Her decision was for her own good. Things were much better now. She was happy.

The two reached the hut of the old priestess. They stood, still in silence, staring at the entrance of the hut. Kagome took several breaths before taking another step. She was a bit surprised to find herself doing it alone. She quickly glanced over to Inuyasha who had remained where he was.

"Aren't you coming in?" She asked.

He turned to look at her, "I've seen her enough."

For a brief moment, their eyes locked. Not since Kagome's apartment had they looked each other in the eyes. Both tried to hide the pain that was buried beneath their distant shades. Inuyasha could feel his heart come to a stop and his breath stilled. Kagome could feel her body slowly began to tremble. The tears began rushing up from the very back of her eyes. Before he could see, she quickly turned from him and entered the hut.

The young woman's heart dropped, seeing her old friend lying on the floor of her domicile. She stood near the doorway, observing the old woman's peaceful sleep. Though she was resting, her breathing appeared labored. It pained Kagome to hear her cough as she slept. She had hoped her time before her eternal rest would be easy.

"Come in," she coughed. "I'm not sleeping, just resting."

"How are you feeling?" Kagome's voice was near a whisper.

"Exhausted," she took a deep breath.

Kagome placed her bag down. She then knelt down next to Kaede and held onto her hand.

The elder woman lifted her head, "It's good to see you again, child."

"Shh," she squeezed her hand. "Don't try to sit up ."

Kaede smiled at her older sister's reincarnation, "We've missed you, Kagome."

Kagome could feel a tear run down the side of her cheek, "I've missed you too."

Though she only had the use of one eye, her vision was just fine. She looked into the face of the young girl she had come to know. Now before her sat at woman. As perceptive as she had always been, the elder could see, through her forced smile, a deep sadness. 

"How time has passed," the old priestess spoke. "And you've grown into a beautiful woman."

She blushed, "Thank you. And you?"

"I'm old," she coughed. "A little tired at times, but just fine."

"Older," the young woman corrected her. "Maybe wiser?"

"Tell me child," she tried to laugh, but it only made her cough more. "How have you been?"

"Good," she rubbed the elder woman's calloused hands. "I'm in school and doing well."

Kaede gave her a puzzled look. Kagome knew just what she meant by that, "I'm done with my old schooling. I'm in college now. I'm trying better my education. Expand my knowledge of things."

She smiled at her, "That's good. Knowledge is always good."

"The others?" She was still rubbing her friend's hand. "Sango? Shippou? Miroku?"

"They are good," the old woman smiled at the thought of the three. "They're young. They wanted to travel, together."

Kagome could only smile at the happiness her two friends found in each other, for she had witnessed it blossoming all through their long journey. Though she did have to feel a touch of pity for the monk, for he would have a fifth wheel with the kitsune. 

"That's good to hear," Kagome said softly. "I remember how they always tried to hide their feelings for each other, but it was obvious."

Kaede gazed up at the younger woman, knowingly, "Yes, it was."

She cleared her throat, "Well, I'm glad that they finally found each other."

"And you?" The elder asked.

The twenty-two year old, with the jet black hair and red tips, gazed down at her elder friend, "I am happy." She fought to place a smile on her face, "I am. My life is different now. It's good."

The priestess frowned, "I see."

Kagome tried to pull her foot out of her mouth, "No, it's not that I didn't like being here. It's just, I needed a change." She let go of the old woman's hand, "The jewel was complete and there was no need for me anymore."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Her voice, more certain and firm than she had ever heard it. 

A silence dropped between the two. As the elder's brow began to build up sweat, Kagome reached for a towel and began to dab at the droplets. "You need to rest."

The old woman coughed at the young woman's words, confused, "I'm not dying. Just ill."

She leaned back, gazing at the old woman, thrown at her words, "What?" She then glanced towards the entrance of the hut, "But he told me…you sent for me."

Kaede smiled, "No. But I am grateful that you would come at my request."

She sighed, then searched her bag, pulling out a small bottle. Kagome poured a thick red liquid into a small cup. She handed it Kaede, who reluctantly drank its contents, causing her face to contort. It was obvious she found the taste to be dreadful. She quickly drank a cup of water, cleaning the foul taste out of her mouth.

"You need to talk to him," the elder woman insisted.

Kagome sighed heavily and continued staring at the entrance. She returned her gaze to the elder woman lying next to her. Words were not needed. Much like Inuyasha, Kagome and Kaede held an understanding with one another. The young woman of the future, bent down, embracing the old woman. The priestess smiled letting her go, allowing her sister's reincarnation to leave.


End file.
